Evaluation of Manual Thermal Brake Screening Systems

Details

• Creators:
  Koo, Jeeyen ; Leddy, David ; Walton, Jennifer
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Kentucky. Kentucky Transportation Center
• Corporate Contributors:
  Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Automation Benefit Cost Analysis Brakes Commercial Vehicles Digital Cameras Infrared Cameras Infrared Detectors Inspection Inspection Cars Quantitative Analysis Thermal Brake Screening Systems Traffic Violations Weigh Stations

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  KTC-25-07
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.13023/ktc.rr.2025.07
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Kentucky
• Corporate Publisher:
  University of Kentucky Transportation Center
• Abstract:
  In 2021, manual thermal brake screening systems were installed at Lyon EB and Rowan County weigh stations. Two additional units were installed at Laurel SB and Scott County weigh stations the following year. Although this system is called a thermal brake screening system, its thermal camera images are used to find both brake and tire-related violations. At the time of this project, Lyon (EB), Rowan, and Scott County inspection locations also had tire pressure detection systems in addition to manual thermal brake screening systems. Both systems can be used to identify tire-related violations, but inspectors prefer to use the tire pressure detection system for its ease of use. As a result, the usage rates for the thermal brake screening systems in Rowan and Scott Counties have been low to nonexistent. A quantitative analysis was conducted on the inspections that occurred at Lyon EB and Laurel SB, where the use of the technology was high, to determine the system's effectiveness. A comparison of the level 1 inspection results using the thermal brake screening system to the ones without thermal screening has shown that the system is effective in identifying vehicles with brake and tire-related violations. The use of thermal camera images resulted in a significantly higher number of detected violations and out-of-service placements. It should be noted that inspectors prefer to use tire pressure detection systems for tire-related violations over thermal camera images if an inspection location is already equipped with tire pressure detection systems. Additional training on thermal brake screening systems is recommended so inspectors can use the right tool for brake violation identification.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  RSF 84
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9aba4269cc5be57036e37d256023a0c72029de0c9d7aba4d5d34da41ffc8ae72a2fba25c7f862904f6ed0c638b69c0027ea50a288faf7564f8c7fe8398450c92
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/87292/dot_87292_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.33 MB ]